Craving brisket? Or have you always wanted to try herring? Scratch your food-curious itches this week, and more. Check out this week's tasty events events in NYC.

Making It Delicious: Flavor Science and the Industrialization of Food in the U.S., New York University, 31 Washington Place, Monday, 6:30 p.m.

Are you paying attention to the food labels in your shopping cart? Nadia Berenstein from the University of Pennsylvania hosts a conversation about the history of chemical additives and the American diet. The discussion will cover how science and technology in the flavor industry helped redefine the understanding of what it meant for food to be pure, natural, and artificial. A reception will precede the event, and a tasting of foods, of both the artificial and natural variety, will be provided. To make a reservation, contact the event organizer here.

Want to learn the secret to making fresh ricotta cheese? A representative from Poughkeepsie's Sprout Creek Farm will guide students on what to look for — and smell — when making fresh cheese. From the field to the refrigerator, students will get a better sense of the aging process as well as make their very own ricotta to take home. Reservations are $40; secure them here.

If warm weather has you craving cold water creatures, rest easy this week. The annual Holland Herring Festival kicks off 17 days of fishy festivities with an official first tasting hosted by Grand Central Oyster Bar executive chef Sandy Ingber and representatives from the Dutch consulate. Guests can enjoy herring filets (the bar receives the first shipment sent to the US), served traditionally with hard-boiled egg, sweet onion and chives. To drink, there will also be Dutch beer and martinis featuring spirits from The Netherlands.

In advance of the Big Apple BBQ Festival, pitmasters from across the country are headed to Hill Country Barbecue Market to take questions and give answers about smoked meats. A panel including Wayne Mueller of Texas' famed Louie Mueller Barbecue and New York's own Billy Durney of Hometown BBQ will share a few tips while addressing the state of regional U.S. barbecue. Following the panel talk, the pitmasters will take questions from the audience. Tickets are $5 in advance and $7 at the door; save in advance by making a reservation here.

Celebrating special guest Chantal Martineau and her new book How the Gringos Stole Tequila, Xixa is offering guests a tequila and mezcal pairing with its multi-course chefs tasting menu. Martineau's book examines the culture and politics surrounding the two spirits and examines its history in the United States, from college crowds to cocktail gurus. Reservations are $65 (which includes pairings) and can be made by contacting the restaurant.

Billy Lyons is a weekly contributor to Village Voice dining section. His food-focused articles and videos have also been featured by Zagat and Thrillist. He's always to looking to find the intersection where food meets culture, and believes everyone should have their very own James Bond-style cocktail. Lyons holds a BA from the University of Richmond in Rhetoric and Communication Studies. He can be found on Instagram at @billyondollarman.